Smoking Law forces change in Cafe Drechsler opening hours

One of Vienna's traditional coffee houses Cafe Drechsler known for its early opening times is no longer to open its doors at 03.00 AM but instead at 08.00 AM.

The coffee house located in Vienna's Mariahilf district claims the reason is the smoking laws and the effect they had on the business, specifically the entrance to the bathrooms should not go through the smoking area.

Manfred Stallmajer, Manager of Cafe Drechsler said: "Most people who visit coffee houses late at night are smokers therefore having a smoking free coffee house doesn't work."

"It is a real shame as now this 90-year-old tradition has been forced to come to an end."

Stallmajer took over the coffee house in 2007 and renovated it with the help of British designer Terence Conran.

There was a smokers and a non smokers area there was also air circulation units installed.

It was however not possible to make a corridor to the toilets which was 'smoke free' and moving the rooms was not possible as that would have meant the smoking area would have been larger than the non smoking area and that is also not allowed.

The only solution was to ban smoking. As a result form September 3rd the coffee shop will open from 08.00 until midnight Sunday to Thursday and from 08.00 until 02.00 Friday and Saturday.

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